Two more runs for star colt All Too Hard

SUPERSTAR three-year-old All Too Hard will be given just two more race starts in a farewell aimed at surging his stud value past $40 million.

Owners Neil Werrett and Vinery Stud general manager Peter Orton met with trainer John Hawkes at Rosehill yesterday morning to thrash out the immediate future of the half-brother to Black Caviar.

There was widespread speculation the colt would be retired to stud after he failed to overcome a virus that ruled him out of the Australian Guineas on race morning.

But Orton said All Too Hard had recovered well and would now be aimed at the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 27. From there, he will head to Royal Ascot for his last hoorah in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes (1600m).

The All Aged Stakes is already shaping as a cracking finale to the Sydney autumn, with Black Caviar and More Joyous potential starters.

Should he triumph on English soil, All Too Hard's $30 million price tag is expected to increase by at least another $10 million.

While he wouldn't speculate on All Too Hard's potential worth, Orton said: "The upside of going to England is shuttling benefits. He's internationally known, and if he can perform over there it will have enormous potential for him at stud."

All Too Hard was expected to race in last Saturday's Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m). After his no-show, he was tipped to challenge Pierro and More Joyous in Saturday's Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill.

Orton said retiring All Too Hard would have been the "easy option".

"When you've got a good racehorse like him, you want to see them race as much as possible," he said.

"There's no special race we have to get to or have to win. We'll just take the horse along at his own pace.

"It's just a shame because we would have loved to have seen him race another year."

All Too Hard has raced 11 times for six wins, including three at Group 1 level.

Had the horse started in the Australian Guineas, Hawkes said it would have "knocked the hell out of him" and possibly cruelled the chances of him continuing racing.

Hawkes said a trial in Sydney would be the most likely lead-up for All Too Hard.

"We've got about five weeks, it's just a matter of getting him into a sort of rhythm," he said.

"He's only trotted and cantered because his bloods haven't been right. The horse is fine in himself, it's just been frustrating, that's all."

Story: Daily Telegraph